Potato cutting device



March 22, 1949. Q soc 2,464,898

POTATO CUTTING DEV CE Filed Dec. 14, 1945 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Mar. 22, 1949 Es PATENT OFFICE POTATO CUTTING DEVICE Curtis L. Socier, Hampton Township, Bay County, Mich.

Application December 14, 1945, Serial No. 634,972

1 Claim.

My invention relates to machines for cutting potatoes into several parts or pieces preparatory to planting.

Potatoes in general have considerable starch content, and when out, the moisture and starch on the cut surfaces together with capillary attraction, causes them to stick and cling together, and as the moisture evaporates, the surfaces become more firmly bonded, on the other hand, if the cut surface is uneven and exposed to the air, it quickly dries, and a film forms on the face thereof,

Where considerable acreage is planted, the potatoes are usually planted by machine, and it is highly desirable and economical that the machine drop single pieces as it plants.

It is therefore one of the prime objects of the invention to design a potato cutting machine which cuts each potato into a number of parts or pieces, the nature of the out being such that there will be no large, flat surfaces to stick and cling together, or to other out sections, as occurs when potatoes are out with a conventional knife or machine.

Another object of the invention is to design a cutter having corrugated knives so that there will be no freshly out, large, fiat sections to cling and adhere to other flat fresh sections, thus insuring planting but one piece of potato per bill when planting with a machine or by hand.

A further object is to provide a cutting machine having multiple cutting units so that two persons may cut at the same time, or at which one person may out if desired, each operator performing the same operations, with the cut pieces directed into a common receptacle.

A further object still is to design a simple, practical and inexpensive cutting machine provided with adjustable deflecting aprons and foldable legs so that the machine can be compactly crated for shipment or storage.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and. arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion, and other minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side-elevational view of my cutting machine, the broken lines showing the legs on one end of the machine swung to folded position.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse-sectional view through the cutting knives.

Fig. 4 is a view showing a cut section of potato.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, top edge View of one of the cutting elements.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates a preferably rectangularshaped metal frame, having legs 8 and 9 respectively pivotally secured to the ends thereof by means of bolts or pins 10 in the conventional manner, these legs can be suitably braced in any desired manner, and angularly disposed braces II are connected to the legs and frame respectively to form a rigid construction.

Cutting units A, B and C respectively are mounted in the frame I, each unit comprising a plurality of cutting elements l2 secured together and to the frame by welding or in any other desired manner, the cutting elements being so spaced that potatoes of various sizes may be cut to best advantage, that is, cut in half, quarters, six or any other desired number of pieces.

A receptacle (not shown) is placed centrally beneath the machine frame 1 and cut potato sections P from the center cutting unit B will fall directly thereinto, deflecting troughs l3 being hingedly connected to the frame ends at the point M for deflecting the cut pieces from the end cutting units A and G into the receptacle, a short chain or rod l5 serving to hold the troughs in desired inclined position, these troughs swinging up against the lower face of the frame when the machine is crated or stored.

I Wish to direct particular attention to these cutting elements which are formed of corrugated stock so that there will be no large, fiat, freshlycut surfaces, consequently they cannot stick together because of the raised surfaces formed by the corrugations.

The machine is designed to be operated by two people, one person sitting at each end of the machine; each person wears a heavy glove and picks up the indivdual potatoes, places them on the cutting knives and presses down to perform the cutting operation, the cut pieces falling into the receptacle. The center cutting unit B is designed for extra large potatoes, and inasmuch as there are relatively few of these, this center unit is used by both workers.

The height of the frame is such that the workers can sit down while operating, and there is no excessive fatigue as occurs when cutting in the conventional manner.-

From the foregoing description, it will be ob- 3 vious that I have perfected a simple, practical, substantial and relatively inexpensive machine for cutting seed potatoes and the like.

What I claim is:

A seed potato cutting machine of the class described comprising in combination, an open supporting frame, cutting units mounted on the frame in the opening .in spaced "relation, each unit comprising a plurality of-verticallyv-disposed corrugated blade sections arranged in predetermined spaced-apart relation, hingedly connected to the ends of the frame and adapted to be swung against the lower face thereof for folding releasable braces connectingthe legs and the frame for securing the'legs imposition, and deflecting aprons beneath the cutting units hingedly connected to the ends of said supporting legs- 4 frame and foldable towards each other against said frame when in foldable position.

' CURTIS L. SOCIER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

